"Royal consort?"
Zeke's eyes wavered at the sultan's sudden words.
The sultan of the Murk Empire, who had left the position of spouse vacant for decades, now offered it to Zeke.
Serazade looked at Zeke and said,
"It wouldn't be a bad proposal for you either. Second only to me, standing above all others in this world. Isn't it a chance to rise above everyone else?"
How many people in the world could speak like this to Zeke, the guardian knight of the Draker Family at the pinnacle of the Central Continent, heir to the Agamemnon Family that dominated the central region, and renowned as the Knight of Salvation?
But Serazade, the sultan of the Murk Empire, was truly a sovereign who looked down upon the world. She was more than qualified to make such an offer.
Though Zeke was momentarily flustered by Serazade's proposal, he quickly regained his composure. The one who reacted even more strongly than Zeke himself, her expression changing dramatically, was Yellin, who stood beside him.
"Sir Zeke becoming the sultan's royal consort?"
Yellin couldn't help but feel bewildered by the completely unexpected situation.
She too had an extraordinary background as the heir to the Ishtar Family, one of the Three Great Transcendent Families of the Central Continent.
But her opponent was the sultan of the Murk Empire, the overlord of the Eastern Continent.
Moreover, in Yellin's eyes, Serazade possessed an astonishing charm and allure as a woman.
Even though Serazade was twice Zeke's age and already had five consorts in her harem, Yellin couldn't help but feel tense.
It reminded her of what Zeke had said when she previously asked him how he felt about marrying her.
"If you and I were to marry, it would be the first union between the direct lines of Draker and Ishtar, so it would certainly cause a great stir in many ways."
Marrying the sultan of the Murk Empire would undoubtedly create an even greater uproar than a marriage with the Ishtar Family.
Because of that, Yellin watched Zeke with a tense expression, anxious about what choice he would make.
Hades, floating idly behind them, also watched the situation with an intrigued look.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Zeke's response.
After a moment of silence in response to the sultan's bombshell statement, Zeke slowly opened his mouth.
"I am truly grateful for the honorable proposal, Your Majesty. However, there are several difficult issues that make it hard for me to become the royal consort of the Murk Empire." Serazade looked surprised at Zeke's response.
"Hmm? Difficult issues. Tell me what they are."
Zeke spoke in a calm and clear tone.
"The first is the reaction from my Draker Family and the Central Continent. Though relations have improved greatly from before, the Central Continent still remembers the Murk Empire's invasion and the knights who sacrificed their lives on that battlefield. I anticipate backlash if I become the royal consort of the Murk Empire." Serazade waved her hand dismissively, as if it were no concern.
"I don't understand how that could be a problem. Any discontent from others can be quelled with a few weeks of lavish banquets and showers of gold and jewels. That's not something for you to worry about."
It was the kind of response only the overlord who held the Eastern Continent in her grasp could give.
It was an arrogant solution, but it was indeed the most reliable way to win over those who might complain.
Emotions faded in an instant, but wealth lasted forever, so most people would choose the latter.
Zeke continued.
"The second is the backlash within the Murk Empire itself." Serazade chuckled at that.
"That seems even less of an issue. Who would dare oppose the royal consort I have chosen?"
Zeke met the arrogant sultan's gaze steadily and said,
"I believe the warriors who follow Your Majesty, the long-standing successor families, and the imperial citizens would not rebel. But considering the consorts you have taken in and the caliphs of the various tribes standing behind them... especially the Talas Tribe, do you truly believe they would give unconditional approval?" At Zeke's words, Serazade's expression subtly hardened.
Seeing her reaction, Zeke confirmed that he had accurately struck at the sultan's weak point.
"I never imagined I'd use the far-sight ability granted by the Great Sage in this way."
Before meeting the sultan, Zeke had accessed the Akashic Code via far-sight to survey the overall state of the Murk Empire.
He couldn't grasp every intricate detail, but he had a general sense of the situation.
"The sultan's five current consorts are all heirs representing their tribes."
The Murk Empire was a confederation formed by uniting numerous vassal tribes.
Among them, six particularly powerful tribes supported the Murk, with the Anatolia Tribe, to which the current sultan Serazade belonged, holding the greatest strength.
The second was the Talas Tribe, who believed Serazade would bear a child with one of their own—a consort from the Talas Tribe.
The Talas Tribe wielded especially formidable power among the others, and Serazade's first consort had been the heir of the Talas Tribe.
They were convinced that Serazade would give birth to a child of Talas blood and that this child would ascend to the throne as the next sultan.
In such a situation, if Serazade announced that she was taking a knight from the Central Continent—indeed, a knight from the infamous Draker Family within the Murk Empire—as her royal consort, the reaction was obvious even without seeing it.
Serazade looked at Zeke with curious eyes and said,
"It's surprising how a knight from the western continent knows all this."
She hopped lightly onto the back of the golden fox and, leaning back with an arrogant smile, continued.
"The Talas Tribe, eh. It's true their nagging would be annoying. But that's all. They wouldn't dare obstruct my will."
"I do not believe the caliphs of the five tribes could obstruct the will of the great sultan. But if the final issue I will mention combines with these internal factors, it could pose a significant threat to the entire Murk Empire." Zeke looked at Serazade and continued.
"If the magical beasts beyond the Everwinter Wall threaten the empire, and the caliphs strike at Your Majesty from behind, what would you do?"
To the north of the Eastern Continent lay a massive mountain range stretching from west to east.
Taller and more rugged than the Giant Mountain Range of the Central Continent, it was called the Everwinter Mountain Range in the East.
Periodically, magical beasts crossed over from beyond this Everwinter Mountain Range, and to block them, the Murk Empire had erected a massive wall.
That was the Everwinter Wall.
Serazade responded to Zeke's words with an expression of disbelief.
"You're exaggerating. First, the magical beasts cannot cross the Everwinter Wall. Moreover, the caliphs, including the Talas Tribe, do not have the boldness to strike me from behind."
All real power in the Murk Empire was currently in Serazade's hands.
No tribe could resist; if they even slightly threatened the sultan's authority, those involved would be executed mercilessly.
Serazade was not a cruel tyrant who ruled through sheer brutality, but neither was she a soft ruler who would tolerate threats to herself.
Zeke spoke to Serazade in a calm voice.
"Do you truly believe that?"
Zeke turned to Omar and asked,
"Lord Omar, you fought alongside us against the magical beasts that invaded the Dorta
Republic. What do you think? If the situation were the same, could they not breach the Everwinter Wall?"
Suddenly turning the arrow toward him, Omar, standing beside the sultan, looked tense.
Serazade turned to Omar and said,
"Omar, tell me honestly what you saw and felt."
At her command, Omar bowed his head and slowly opened his mouth.
"Your Majesty, from my direct experience in the battle... if the situation were the same, the Everwinter Wall would likely prove useless."
At Omar's words, the eunuchs beside him jumped in surprise and began whispering among themselves.
Serazade raised her hand with an impassive face.
"Quiet, all of you. Omar, I respect your valor and wisdom gained from much battlefield experience. Tell me honestly why you think that."
Omar lifted his head at her command and replied.
"The magical beasts that invaded the Dorta Republic did not appear through normal means. I saw a massive portal open, and thousands of magical beasts and monsters pour out right in front of the walls."
In truth, one of the main reasons the Everwinter Wall had held back the magical beasts for so long was the formidable barrier of the Everwinter Mountain Range itself.
If a gate opened directly in front of the Everwinter Wall without needing to cross the mountains, allowing magical beasts to flood out, no matter how high and sturdy the wall was, it would be hard to hold.
Serazade pondered Omar's words deeply.
Then she asked him again.
"If you thought that, why did you not report it to me?" Omar answered calmly to Serazade's question.
"I heard from the sacred being Lord Hades that creating such a massive portal requires special power. Since those who invaded the Dorta Republic were said to have enemies in the Central Continent, I judged it would not affect the Everwinter Wall." Serazade nodded as if convinced by Omar's response.
Then, looking at Zeke, she said,
"So that's how it is. If Omar's words are true, then the appearance of magical beasts themselves would be impossible, wouldn't it?" Zeke nodded at Serazade's words.
"It seems that way for now, but it is wrong to say that those who command the magical beasts are targeting only the Central Continent." Serazade frowned, her sharp gaze flashing.
"Are you saying they will invade our empire as well?"
Zeke looked at Serazade and said,
"They are called Narak. Their goal... is none other than the resurrection of the Demon King."
The moment the words "Demon King" came from Zeke's mouth, Serazade's expression went blank for an instant.
Not just Serazade, but Omar and the surrounding eunuchs as well.
Serazade, recovering first, asked Zeke,
"Did I hear that right? Demon King... you mean the Demon King from the legends?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. They seek to resurrect the Demon King, and they are already summoning demons through profane methods to form the Demon King's army and invading various parts of the Central Continent." Serazade looked incredulous at Zeke's words.
"To hear the term Demon King in this era... astonishing."
"It may sound unfamiliar, but it is an undeniable fact. Moreover, I heard directly from the
Fairy King about the omens of the end times."
The moment the words "Fairy King" were spoken, the atmosphere shifted.
The eunuchs whispered among themselves about the Fairy King.
Zeke found it curious that they were skeptical about the Demon King but reacted differently to the Fairy King, but since it wasn't to his disadvantage, he quietly observed the situation.
Serazade silenced the eunuchs and asked Zeke,
"Did the Fairy King prophesy about the end times?"
"Yes. He said the Demon King will resurrect and dye all continents in blood. All continents, so that includes not only the Central Continent but the Eastern Continent as well."
Zeke appropriately embellished the content, using the Fairy King's name as an excuse.
Unlike before, Serazade's expression hardened.
After pondering for a moment, she looked straight at Zeke and asked,
"You're saying we need to prepare for the possibility that these Narak could open a gate beyond the Everwinter Wall and invade with magical beasts at any time."
"Yes. If I become the royal consort of Murk, it would likely create various internal issues when preparing for that. The greatest risk in facing magical beasts is none other than enemies from within."
This was something Zeke had learned bitterly in his previous life.
During his time as a Highlander, the most difficult part was the schemes of humans who used the magical beasts as traps to line their own pockets.
Zeke looked at Serazade with sincere eyes and said,
"That is why I would like to make one proposal to Your Majesty."
At Zeke's words, Serazade nodded while reclining languidly against the back of the golden fox.
"Tell me what proposal you have."
Zeke looked at her and revealed the true purpose of coming here.
"Your Majesty, how about forming the 'Oath of Sincerity' with me, Zeke Draker, the guide of the divine beast and the Knight of Salvation?"